Editor, Gazette-Journal:

My dear friend Starr (Nicholas) was featured in an article on human trafficking (“Mathews resident working to combat human trafficking,” July 10 Gazette-Journal) and mentioned “survival sex.” I am not writing this to put my business out there; instead, it is the only way I can reach some people who are suffering in silence or out loud and desperately need some relief.

If you ever sold your body because you or your child was hungry, cold or needed to get somewhere, or you just had no one to love you, then you are a survivor of human trafficking. Regardless of how or why you got to that place of utter devastation, you are not a “whore,” “slut” or even a prostitute, you were or are a victim. Unfortunately, we live in a world where too many men serve their sexual desire like a god and they see your misfortune as an opportunity to conquer easy prey.

I know that once you have been victimized, in any way, it seems as ...